After almost four months of hard work and preparation, Langley’s long-awaited Case Day will finally take shape on Monday, Feb. 28.
Case Day is a mock trial that examines a current Supreme Court case. Organized and conducted by Langley seniors, participation in Case Day is a requirement for all AP Government students. This year, Langley will debate the case on Feb. 28, and the actual Supreme Court will make their decision the very next day. Likewise, the day’s proceedings reflect those that would occur in the actual courtroom.
The issue being debated this year is derived from two closely-related Supreme Court cases, Alford v. Greene and Camreta v. Greene. The issue began in Deschutes County in Oregon when Nimrod Greene was alleged to be molesting his young daughter, referred to only as “S.G.” When the allegation was made, Deputy Sherriff James Alford and child protection investigator Bob Camreta pulled S.G. out of her classroom during school for questioning, attempting to find any evidence that she was a victim of sexual abuse. After a two hour interrogation, she was released. The abrupt examination begs the question: was this action a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unlawful search and seizure?
On Feb. 28, the mock trial will explore this very question and ultimately make a decision about the case. The trial will last the entire day and take place in the library. Teachers and students are welcomed to attend the proceedings and watch from the audience; the hearing will also be broadcast live on Channel 6 throughout the school so students can tune in during class.
AP Government students have been preparing for Case Day since November. Participation in Case Day requires numerous hours of after-school work, at least three times a week for hours at each session. However, most participants feel the experience is worth their time. “It’s interesting to be able to explore government and meet interesting people,” said senior Rico Della Corna, who is one of four Case Day coordinators this year.
However, even before group preparation began students had to tryout for one of numerous possible Case Day positions. Students auditioning for counsel, the group that actually argues during the trial, had an extremely rigorous tryout process. After preparing by reading over 400 pages of legal documents, they had a mock argument with government teachers and coordinators. “I was very nervous,” said senior counsel Jeffrey Principe. “They tell you go and you just start speaking.”
So far, the seniors have been making great progress leading up to Case Day. “I’m most struck by the quality of the committee chairs,” said AP Government teacher Ms. Allison Cohen. “They’ve done a great job.”
This year’s trial is sure to be a success thanks to all the time and effort students have dedicated to the event and, according to senior coordinator Alex Brumas, “It should be one of the best we’ve had in a long time.”
Additional reporting by Miriam Ahmed
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Photos by Na He Jeon